I40 EIvDORADO 



ment with a rawhide while the culprit was tsrapped to 

 a fallen pine tree. He was a man of strong nerve, and 

 bore the cruel strokes with much fortitude. He was 

 then ordered to leave the diggings and was told that 

 if found there again he would receive even more severe 

 treatment. 



In 1854, while I was ranching on the Cosumnes river, 

 20 miles from Sacramento City, two cases of mob law 

 occurred. In one instance a notoriously bad character 

 by the name of Bill Lomax was charged with the mur- 

 der of a Prussian, who had the day previous to the mur- 

 der sold a number of cattle and was supposed to have 

 the money. Fortunately, it had been deposited in a 

 Placerville bank. He was assaulted in his cabin dur- 

 ing the night with an axe, and, being a large, powerful 

 man, made a desperate fight for his lite. His body was 

 found the following morning about twenty steps from 

 his door. Seventeen wounds had been inflicted on him 

 with the axe and a large knife. The weapons, be- 

 smeared with blood, were lying by his body. His 

 hands were badly cut by having grasped the blade of 

 the knife in the hands of his assailant. I was sum- 

 moned upon the coroner's jury and careful inquiry 

 pointed strongly to Lomax as the murderer. 



Three men started in pursuit and traced him to Sac- 

 ramento, where he was found in a saloon. They re- 

 turned with him and word was immediately sent out 

 to the ranchers and miners, who collected the following 

 morning, chose judge and jury, heard the evidence, re- 

 turned a verdict of guilty and gave him one hour to 

 prepare for death by hanging. When the time ex- 

 pired a rope was placed around his neck and he was 

 taken to a nearby live oak tree, and the rope was 



